Kerala

One of the best things about having an Indian spouse is trips to India! I went to India for the fourth time this past November, and we took a mini vacation to Kerala. I have to say, it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. We flew into Kochi, then drove four or so hours into the mountains to Munnar, a hill station. We spent one day exploring a tea plantation, which is where the majority of these photos were taken. We would have happily hiked for an entire day, if it weren’t for the discovery of the leaches. Oh, the leaches. They were on our shoes, in our shoes, on our legs, everywhere. Eventually we all admitted that we were pretty grossed out, and headed back to the hotel to chill.

Our next stop was Alleppey, known for its backwaters and canals. We spent a night on a houseboat. I don’t really feel entitled to offer much travel advice, but as far as houseboats go, please consider springing for as upscale a houseboat as you can afford. Ours, while decent, came with some unpleasant critters. It was a good experience nonetheless!